Hydropump



.L. w. SPRINGSTEEN Sept. 9, 1930.

mnaornur' Filed May 1'1, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 9, 1930. -'L. w.SPIRINGSITEEN n'wnortmr Filed May 17. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elwin/Mica Ii lul'llerW s vrfnyilee Sebtf9; 11930. L. w. SPRINGSTEEN nYnnoPUuP-Filed May 17. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES:"PATENT OFFICE LUTHER W. SPRINGSTEEN, OF AITON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TONATIONAL HYDRO- DBIV COMPANY, OF BINGHAK'ION, NEW YORK, A COMPANY OF NEWYORK nxmaorvmr Application inea lay 17,1927. Serial no; 191,953.

This invention relates to rotary pumps or motors, the object of theinvention being to provide an improved rotary pump or motor which may beused for various purposes and a which is simple in construction,eflicient in operation and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, andso constructed that it may be of comparatively small size and yet thepower and efliciency thereof materially increased. v

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved rotarypump or motor which may be driven in either direction at the same orvarying speeds, and in which a tight frictional contact will always bemaintained between the rotary and stationary parts and the wear of theseveral parts will be automatically taken up, and in which also thepressure back of the moving parts, which :10 would otherwise prevent theefficient operation of the pump, is relieved. Another ob'ect of thisinvention is to pro vide a rotary fluid pump or motor having one or moreresiliently pressed propeller vanes .5 capable of reciprocation andhaving ample and suflicient provision for preventing interference withthe proper and eflicient operation of'the pump or motor from fluidpressure or rarefaction beneath the propeller vanes. 0 A still furtherobject thereof isto provide a rotary fluid pump or motor having one ormore abutments or bridges secured to the stationary part of the device,preferably though not necessarily, in such a way as, to yield to someextent under excessive pressure exerted by the rotary member andprovided with am 1e and suificient means for preventing inte'rferencewith said yieldingmovement by fluid pressure or rarefaction between theo '40 abutments and the member to which they are secured.

A further object of this i vention is to provide a rotary fluid pump 0motor havin an outer casing member and an inner dis member, one of whichis adapted to rotate and the other remain fixed, the fixed member beingprovided with a pair of oppositely disposed abutments or bridges and therotary member being provided with two pairs of oppositely disposedpropeller vanes. One,

advantage of this arrangement is the balancing of the fluid pressures atopposite points within the pump or motor, so as to minimize vibrationsandeccentricity, and prevent the rotating member binding against thefixed member.

By providing the stationary part of the pum or motor with a pair ofoppositely dispose abutments or bridges and the rotary portion with twoor more pairs of symmetrically and oppositely dis osed vanes forming aneven number of chain ers, a double intake and discharge of each chamberin each revolution is obtained.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a rotary fluidpump or motor a which has a plurality of pairs of chambers,

the chambers of each pair bein oppositely disposed relative to the axis0 the rotary member.

Another object thereof is to provide a rotary fluid ump or motor havinga plurality of pairs 0 oppositely disposed chambers and having theinlets and 'outletsarranged so that both, chambers of a air of chambersreceive or discharge the fluid simultaneously.

A still further object thereof is to provide a fluid pump or motor whichwhen used as a pump, will force a'continuous stream of fluid to flowwithout pulsations, and which, when 0 used as a motor, will provide acontinuous and even motion. I y

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved rotarypum which in one form thereof may be attache to the crank shaft of themotor of a vehicle and connected with driving means of somewhat similarform attached to the wheels of the 'vehicle thereby to propel the sameeither forward or backward.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a partof this specification,Fig. 1 is a side view partly. broken away of an improved rotary pumpillustratingthis invention; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view partlybroken away. of the pump shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top view partlybroken away of the pump shown in Fig. 1; Fi 4,: is a perspective new ofa part of one o the face or capplates'; Fig. 5 1s a perspective view ofa part of the disk or w rotator; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a partof the casing in section; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one form ofthe wear-take-up members or abutments; Fig. 8 is a perspective view ofone of the propeller vanes; Fi 9 is a side view part1 broken away 3B5 insection of another form of this improved pump; Fig. 10 is a view takenat right angles to Fig. 9 with parts thereof in section; Fig. 11 is aperspective view of another form of wear-take-up member or abutment;Fig. 12 is a side view of another form of this improved pump or motorwith the face or cap plate removed; Fig. 13 is a view taken at rightangles to Fig. 12, with parts thereof broken away and in section; Fig.14 is a plan view of a motor vehicle chassis with this improved pumpapplied thereto; Fig. 15 is a side view thereof; and Fig. 16 illustratesone of the steering wheels of the vehicle.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in theseveral figures of the drawings.

Before explaining in detail the present improvement and mode ofoperation thereof, I desire to have it understood that the invention isnot limited to the details of construction and arrangement of partswhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the inventionis ca able of other embodiments, and that the p raseology which I employis for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the form of pump shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the casing of the pump isshown as the stationary member with the rotator rotating relativelythereto and driven by any suitable source of power, as for instance a.pulley wheel 2 mounted on the shaft 3 of the rotator and which pulleymay be connected by a belt with a motor or any other suitablesource ofenergy. In this form the inlet and outlet openings are located throiwhthe face plate.

In the form shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the casing is likewise stationary,the rotator being driven in a manner similar to that just described, butthe inlet and outlet openings are located at the top and bottom of theeasing. In both these forms the rotator may be otherwise driven, as bhaving its shaft connected directly with t e motor shaft, if preferred.

In Figs. 12 and 13 the casing forms the retary member, and in this caseit may be rotated by means of a belt applied to the casing and connectedwith a motor or other suitable source of energy. In this form the inletsand outlets extend through the shaft of the disk, which is stationary.

In the application of this improved pump to a motor vehicle, that formof pump is used for application to the crank shaft of the motor in whichthe rotator is located interiorly of the casing which is fixed againstrotation, while the form shown in Figs. 12 and 13 in which the casingrotates is applied to each wheel, the casing being suitably attached tothe hub of the wheel so that on the rotation of the casing the wheelswill rotate therewith. Thus the pump acts as a motor for driving thewheels of the vehicle. a

This improved pump in its preferred form comprises a. casing l ofcylindrical form, forming a pump chamber 5, and suitable means forclosing the ends of the cylinder comprising a pair of caps or faceplates 6 and 7 bolted to the cylinder in such a way as to form afluid-tight chamber. Located within the chamber is a cylindrical diskforming a rotator 8, concentrically fixed on the end of the shaft 3mounted in the cap plates and projecting through one of them. Thediameter of the rotator disk 8 is less than the inner diameter ofcylindrical casing 4:, so that an annular space is formed between thecasing and the rotator. The shaft 3 is usually supported by suitableball bearings (not shown), and a suitable stufiing box or packing ringis provided to insure a fluid-tight connection between the shaft and thecasing.

Located at even intervals around the rotator is a plurality of recessesor slots 10, four in number being shown, for the reception of shiftablepropeller vanes 11, maintained in projected position by suitable springs12. The vanes are of the same width as the rotator. Each of the vanes isprovided with openings 13 extending therethrough, which serve to relievethe pressure of the fluid when it percolates or passes to the rear ofthe vanes. Without these openings, or other equivalent means, thebacking up of the fluid in the rear of the vanes would maintainthem intheir n projected positions and interfere with the proper operation ofthe pump. In fact, the pressure at times would be so great as entirelyto stop the rotation of the rotator. In a corresponding Way the openings13 allow liquid to pass into the recesses when the vanes 11 are pushedoutwardly by their springs 12 thereby preventing any vacuum orrarefaction within the recesses which might interfere with a closecontact between the vanes and the inner wall of easing 4:. The rotatordisk is circular and concentric with the axis of the shaft and easing sothat the periphery thereof is at the same distance all around from theaxis of the shaft. The casing is pro vided on the interior thereof withoppositely located suitably formed recesses 14, see Fig. 6, in each ofwhich is partly located a weartake-up member or abutment 15 comprising across bar or bridge 16 having segmentally formed or crescent-shaped wingextensions 17, the tapered ends of which are received within recessedportions of the wall of the casing so as not to catch or interfere withthe rotation of the vanes. The wings 17 of this abutment rest within therecess 14 of the casing, while the bridge 16 of the abutment is receivedwithin ofiset recesses 18 of the castor.

ing. The central part of the abutment conforms to the exterior face ofthe rotator and each abutment is provided with springs 19 located at itsrear, thereby to insure a tight frictional engagement of the centralpart or bridge portion of the abutment with the rotavided with openingsJ therethrough for relieving the pressure of the fluid which may.penetrate into the abutment recess. The spring-pressed resilientmounting of the abutments or bridges automatically takes up any wear ofthe disk rotator 8 and of the face of the bridge portion of theabutment, and also prevents any binding of the rotator against-- thebridge-which might otherwise result from irregularities in the face ofthe rotator.

The combined force of the springs 19 be-,

' hind each of the abutment members 15 is considerably greater than thecombined force of the springs 12 behind each of the vanes 11.

bers 15 with the crescent-shaped wing extensions 17, is to provide camtracks which will engage the vanes 11 as the vanes come near theabutment bridges as the rotator rotates.

Acting as cam tracks, the wing extensions force the vanes into theirrecesses so as to be completely retracted as they come adjacent theabutment bridges and are able to pass by the bridges withoutinterference.

The maximum angular extent of any pair of wing extensions is preferablyan appreciable amount less than When this is so the angular extent ofthe supplementary angles is necessarily greater than 90. In thepreferred embodiments the propeller vanes 11 are spaced 90 apart and itwill therefore be readily apparent that as the rotator moves about therewill be a eriod in each half revolution of each cylin er when thecylinder will be completely closed from both the in-.

lets and outlets. As soon as the forward or leading vane of a cylinderengages with a wing extension cam and is retracted, the cylinder is opento the outlet and the burden of forcing the fluid through the outletdevolves upon the rear vane of said cylinder. Thus, it is essential thatat the instant the leading vane of a cylinder engages a wing extensioncam the rear vane shall have cleared the last cam. This cooperativetimed relation mater ally contributes to efliciency of the mecha- Eachof these abutments is also pro bridge to, or ormed integral with theystationary nism. By reason of the vanes being s ring pressed outwardlyand vented as prev1ously referred to, when a vane has cleared one of tthe cams there is no delay in the vane moving into close contact withthe cooperating surface of the stationary member.

By means of this construction a constant and continuous flow of fluidmay be obtained when the device is used as a pump and when used as amotor a regular and unvarying motion is produced. It is readily apparentthat the opposite chambers simultaneously receive or discharge the fluidand that the pressures in opposite chambers or cylinders are equal atall times regardless of what the pressure may be. vHence the machine isbalanced 'at all times and there is no tendency for the machine tovibrate. I

The fluid passages hereinafter referred to open adjacent. to each sideof the bridge of the abutment in the manner hereinafter described. Inthe form shown in Fig. 7 the abutment is provided with a pair of wings,while in the form shown in Fig. 11 the abut ment is provided with twopairs of wings, otherwise the structures are substantially similar. Inthe latter form, however, the

wings fit into a pair of recesses in the wall of the casing, Figs. 9 and10.

In each of the embodiments illustrating this invention the abutmentmembers are composed of 'a central or bridge portion and one or morepairs of wing members formed inte ral with the bridge portion. However,

it is y no means essential that the wing members shall be integral withthe bridge portions, but may be entirely separate from the ortions andmay be fixedly secured in, the rotator may be rotated right or left,

thatv is, clockwise or anticlockwise, so that i.

the inlet at one time will be the outlet at another, and therefore bothwill. be simply referred to as inlets.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4: each inlet 21 communicates with theinterior of the casing by means of a pair of passageways 22 and 23 eachopening at one side'of an abutment so that when the rotator is moving inone direction, the fluid is drawn in through one inlet and one pair ofpassageways and forced out through the other pair of passageways to theother inlet, which at this time forms an outlet.. These inlets are, ofcourse, suitably piped to the source of'supply and discharge.

In the form of pump shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the structure issubstantially similar except that'- the inlets 22 and outlets 23' are atment 15 is used in place of a single wing abutment.

In Figs. 12 and 13 a reversal of the foregoing structure is shown inwhich the vanes 11' of similar form are carried in recesses 24 of thecasing wall, which is shown of skeleton formation, while the abutments15'' are carried by the disk 8, which in this form is stationary whilethe casing 4' rotates, the inlet and outlet passages 22" and 23 in thisform being through a shaft projecting through the side of the casing andto which the concentrically located disk is secured, a suitable stuffingbox being provided to insure a fluid tight joint between the shaft andthe casing. The passageways open through this disk at each side of theabutments in a manner which will readily be seen in Figs. 12 and 13.

The form of device shown in Figs. 12 and 13 is particularly suitable toform the inner part of the wheels and the driving means of a motorvehicle. \Vhen the inner disk portion is held against rotation, andfluid is forced through one or the other of the inlet passageways, theouter portion or casing will be caused to rotate, the direction ofrotation depending upon which inlet passage receives In operation, whenthe rotator of either form of pump shown in Figs. 1 to 7 or 9 and 10 isrotated, the fluid will be drawn in through one set of openings bysuction created by the vanes and forced out through the other set ofopenings, and in Figs. 12 and 13 when the casing is rotated the sameaction takes place.

In practice these pumps may also be used as vacuum pumps as well aspressure pumps.

In Figs. 14 and 15, I have shown the application of this improvement toa motor vehicle in which that form of pump shown in Figs. 1 to 9 issuitablysupported in position with the rotator' secured to the crankshaft of the motor, one inlet opening being in communication with a tank30, .while the other is in communication with a companion tank 31,suitably connected for drainage purposes. Secured to each of the wheelsof the vehicle is one of the devices shown in Figs. 12 and 13, whichthus forms a driving means for the wheels. Each tank is connected bysuitable pipes 32 with all four of the driving devices, the connectionsto the steering wheels being of flexible form.

It will be observed that when .the motor of the vehicle is running, thepump connected with the crank shaft thereof not only acts as a fly wheelbut as a pump to drawfluid, as for instance oil, from one of the tanksand force it to the other tank from which it flows under pressure to allfour of the driving means,thercby rotating the same and thereby thewheels of the vehicle.

By the manipulation of a suitable valve controlled by a foot or a handlever 33, the

inlet opening to the pump becomes the outlet opening in consequence ofwhich fluid is then drawn from the other tank to the pump and forced outthrough the other tank which is likewise in communication by suitablepipes 34 with the driving means connected with the wheels. Thus thevehicle ma be driven in either direction.

I rom the foregoing it will be seen that this improved drivin means,when applied to a motor vehicle, ta es the place of differential andtransmission gearing and their accessories. I

It will also be observed that I have provided a very simple, compact andcomparatively inexpensive pump, the successful operation of which is duenot only to the manner in which the parts are constructed and assembled,but also to the openings through the vanes, for without these to relievethe pressure and suction, the pump would not as efficiently operate,since the cam-faced weartake-up members or abutments could not raise orshift the vanes against the action of their springs, as the fluidpassing to the rear of these vanes would hold them out and con sequentlythe vanes could not pass over the eccentrically located abutments, butby means of these openings the pressure which occurs back of the vanesis relieved.

When the bridge portions 16 have the wing extension cams 17 formedintegral therewith, the wing extensions may reciprocate with the bridgeportion whenexcessive pressure is exerted thereon. The wing extensioncams are set in recesses 14 in the stationary member, the ends ofextensions being below the surface of the stationary member so as toprevent the vanes from catching, against the ends of the-.wingextensions as the vanes pass b It is to be understood that by describingin detail herein any particular form, structure or arrangement, it isnot intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the severalclaims or the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described away of constructing and using the same, although without attempting toset forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modesof its use, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described a cylindrical casing havingfluid inlets and outlets therethrough, a pair of end plates closing theends of said casing, one of said plates being provided with a centralopening, a shaft extending through said opening, a rotor cylindersecured on said shaft and con centric with the casing, the length ofsaid cylinder being substantially equal to the distance between the endplates, two or more pairs of equally spaced recesses in the peripheralsurface of the rotor cylinder and exccsses behind the vanes, at leasttwo sym tending the entire length thereof, the ends of said recessesbeing closed by the end plates, a propeller vane equal in length to therotor cylinder reciprocatorily mounted in each of the recesses, springsin said recesses for pressing the propeller vanes outwardly into contactwith the inner surface of the casing, means for relieving fluidpressurein the remetrically disposed abutments in the casing and in contact withthe rotor, and means adjacent said abutments for forcing the vanes toretract within their recesses to permit them to pass by the abutments asthe rotor rotates.

2. In a device of the character described, a cylindrical casing-endplates closing the ends of said casing. a cylinder within said casingequal in length to the distance between said end plates, said casing'andcylinder being relatively rotatable, the rotary member having aplurality of of pairs of symmetrically and oppositely disposed radialrecesses extending the entire length of said member,

the end plates forming closures for the ends of said recesses, apropeller vane equal in length to said cylinder slidably mounted withineach of said recesses, a spring within each recess tending to press saidvanes out of said recesses, means for equalizing fluid pressure withinand without said recesses, a pair of oppositely disposed abutments onthe stationary member and in fluid-tight contact with the rotary member,means adjacent said abutments for forcing the vanes into their recesses,and inlet and outlet ports through the stationary member and openingadjacent said abutments.

3. In a device of the character described, a casing provided with spacedinlet and outlet passages and embodying side walls and end walls, twooppositely disposed abutments in the casing. a rotor mounted in. thecasing, the length of the rotor being substantially equal to the lengthof the casing between the end walls thereof, four equally spaced vanesmounted for transverse movement in recesses in the rotor and adapted toengage the side walls of the casing, means for relieving compression inthe recesses adjacent the inner ends of the propellers and a coiledspring at each end of each vane adjacent the end walls of the casing tomaintain the tips of the vanes in intimate contact with the side wallsof the casing.

41. In a machine of the character described a casing embodying sidewalls and end walls, one of said end walls being provided with a centralopening, a shaft projecting into the casing through said opening, acylinder secured on said shaft within the casing, the casing andcylinder being relatively rotatable, the rotary member having aplurality of pairs of symmetrically and oppoentire length of thecylinder, the end walls of said casing forming closures for the ends ofsand recesses, a ropeller vane equal in length to the cylinc er slidablymounted in each recess, a spring within each recess tendmg to press saidvanes out of said recesses, each of said vanes belng provlded wlth passages opening through the inner and outer faces thereof to permitequalization of fluid pressures acting on said faces, a pair ofoppositely disposed abutments on the stationary member and in fluidtight sliding contact with Signed at Binghamton, Broome County,

New York, this 14th day of May, 1927.

LUTHER V. SPRINGSTEEN.

